Mary Parker Follett
Mary Parker Follett:
A Public Scholar “Far Ahead of Her Time”
Class: Freshman Management
Name: So Yeon Lee
Student Number: 52122465
Professor: Mark W. Bray
Due Date: Wednesday September 25th, 2013
In management, there are many historical figures. Among them, this paper will focus on who is Mary Parker Follett and how she affects to the philosophy of industrial humanism. This author will write not only about reciprocal relationships also organizational theory and behavior.
In the historical development of management literature, Mary Parker Follett belongs to that ardent group of thinkers who have identified themselves with the study of “organizational universality” and human relationship rather than with closely-defined administrative techniques or narrow business policies1. As such, she appears both as a social philosopher and as a business consultant2.
She recognized the holistic nature of community and advanced the idea of “reciprocal relationships” in understanding the dynamic aspects of the individual in relationship to others. Follett advocated the principle of what she termed “integration”, or no coercive power-sharing based on the use of her concept of “power with” rather than “power over.” Her ideas on negotiation, power, and employee participation were highly in the development of the fields of organizational studies, alternative dispute resolution and the Human Relations Movement.3 Follett’s approach to conflict was to embrace it as a mechanism of diversity and an opportunity to develop integrated solutions rather than simply compromising.4
Her deep-seated theories of managerial organization, creative integration and circular behavior are as much true today as they were novel when they first appeared. The present age, with all its research-centered intellectual curiosity, psychological innovation and automated wisdom can still distill a good amount of practical thinking and sound conceptual business advice from Mary
A Public Scholar “Far Ahead of Her Time”
Class: Freshman Management
Name: So Yeon Lee
Student Number: 52122465
Professor: Mark W. Bray
Due Date: Wednesday September 25th, 2013
In management, there are many historical figures. Among them, this paper will focus on who is Mary Parker Follett and how she affects to the philosophy of industrial humanism. This author will write not only about reciprocal relationships also organizational theory and behavior.
In the historical development of management literature, Mary Parker Follett belongs to that ardent group of thinkers who have identified themselves with the study of “organizational universality” and human relationship rather than with closely-defined administrative techniques or narrow business policies1. As such, she appears both as a social philosopher and as a business consultant2.
She recognized the holistic nature of community and advanced the idea of “reciprocal relationships” in understanding the dynamic aspects of the individual in relationship to others. Follett advocated the principle of what she termed “integration”, or no coercive power-sharing based on the use of her concept of “power with” rather than “power over.” Her ideas on negotiation, power, and employee participation were highly in the development of the fields of organizational studies, alternative dispute resolution and the Human Relations Movement.3 Follett’s approach to conflict was to embrace it as a mechanism of diversity and an opportunity to develop integrated solutions rather than simply compromising.4
Her deep-seated theories of managerial organization, creative integration and circular behavior are as much true today as they were novel when they first appeared. The present age, with all its research-centered intellectual curiosity, psychological innovation and automated wisdom can still distill a good amount of practical thinking and sound conceptual business advice from Mary
Bibliography: Mary Follett, L. Urwick "Dynamic Administration: The Collected Papers of Mary Parker Follett: Early Sociology of *Management and Organizations" Vol. 3, Taylor & Francis, Inc., November 2003. Pauline Graham "Mary Parker Follett: Prophet of Management", Beard Books, December 2003. Montana, P. J., & Charnov, B. H. Management, New York: Barron’s, 2008 Narendra K.Sethi Mary Parker Follett: Pioneer in Management Theory, The Journal of the Academy of Management Vol.5, December 1962